Undertow-warner indicator-register.



M. M. VOORHEES.

UNDERTOW WARNER INDICATOR REGISTER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4. I9I4.

l l 53,653 Patented Sept. 14, 1915.

- MEW/@.5565

v COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 6.,WASHINOTON. D, C.

MARTIN lVL VOORI-IEES, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

UNDERTOW-WARNER INDICATOR-REGISTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-'Sed sept. 1a, i915.

Application filed September 4, 1914. Serial No. 860,192.V

. Illinois, have inventedan Undertow-VVarner Indicator-Register, of which the following is declared to be a full, clear, and eXact description. y

'This invention relates to life saving` apparatus, and its primary object is to provide means for warning bathers of the presence of-undertow, at bathing beaches, and also to register the strength or force of the undertow at any given time.

To such ends, this invention consists in meansacted upon bv the out-going, moving water and cooperating with signal mechanism to set oli an alarm when the force of the undertow exceeds a predetermined power.

It consists further in means located in the water and actuated by the undertow thereof, in combination with a gage to indicate the strength or powerof the undertow at all times.

It consists further in means actuated by the movement of the water, in combination with a sign, and means for illuminating the sign, controlled by the action of the meansV located in the water. y

It further consists in the other novel featureshereinafter fully set forth in the following speciication, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Y

'The invention is clearly illustrated in the drawings furnished herewith, in which:

Figure 1 is a sideelevation of an apparatus embodying a simple vform of the present invention, and showing the same located at or 'near the shore line of a body of water'. VFig. 2 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, showing certain portions within the main post or tower. Fig. 3 is a front view of a certain actuating vdevice used -in the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a"detail, horizontal section taken on line4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a diagramatic view, illustrating the wiring for the electrically operated portions of the apparatus.

VReferring to said drawings, which illustrates' asimple form of the invention, the

reference number, 10, designatesV a post or tower, standard or the like, which may be placed upon the ground somewhere near the waters edge or shore line. saidfpost is hollow to receive `certain operating parts of the device, and'said post carries a sign, 11,1 here shown as supported above the top thereof by brackets, 12. Preferably the sign is in the form of anilluminatedsign, and is here shown in the form of a box-like structure, containing a number of incandescent lamps, 13, andhaving one or more glassfronts, 14, bearing an inscription indicating the presence of an undertow. Normally, said incandescent electric lights are extinguished, but when the pulling force of the undertow reaches a certain predetermined power, an electric current is passed through said lamps, and the sign is thus illuminated.

An actuating member, 15, is submerged in the water at a suitabledistance from the shore line, for instance where the depth ofthe water would be dangerous for unskilled persons to venture into when there isany marked degree of undertow, and in the form of the invention illustrated in the drawing, said actuating device comprises a circular plate hingedly secured upon a support, 16, as for instance by hinges, `17,and arranged to swing toward or away from said post, 10. A stop, 18, limits its movement in one direction and a spring, 19, se-

cable is thereby connected to said post or tower into which it extends, and is secured atits eXtreme upper end to a coiled tension spring, 22, secured tothe roof portion, 23, of the post. It is obviousfthat when the water flows in the direction of the arrow. b, in Fig. 1, the effect thereof will be to swing the actuatingV device, 15, in the direction of the `arrow,a, and against the tension of the spring, 19, and inasmuch as said cable is connected to and operates a switch for turning the current on andY oi'y from the illumi-x v ble: 20a is 0"? nating sign, an electric gong, and a gage, said devices will be set in motion by the out-going action of the Water, as will be hereinafter set forth.

An electric bell or gong, 24, is supported by the post and its magnets may be in circuit with the lamp circuit, as clearly indi-y cated in Fig. 6. Said circuit is controlled by a switch, 25, secured within thepost and having an operating handle, 27, connected to the cable or chain, 20, which extends to the actuating device, l5. Normallysaid circuit is broken, but whenever the cable or chain, 2Q, is drawn downward, Contact is made between the handle 27 and the semi-circular Contact pieces, 28, of said switch, whereupon the circuit is closed through said incandescent electric lamps and electric bell orgong, 2s,- and said circuit remainsV closed, as long as there is any undertow present having a force or power above a certain point i A gage, 29, for indicating the pull or force of' the undertow is provided and said gage is securedpu-pon a wall of the post and may be of any suitable form. It is here Sheva as Comprising an arbor, 3Q, VhavingV a pointer, 31, upon 01,19 end and secured to a drum 32, around which is wrapped one or more turns of a cord, cable, or other connecting medium, 33,'the other end of which is secured to the main cable, 20. Said arbor, 30, extends through a hollow boss, 34:, of' a stati'onarily supported plate, 34, and a volute spring, 35, is secured to said boss and drum, 32, for til-Filing the pointer back toward the zero mark` on the dial of the gage. VThe arrangement is' such that when the main'capulled dewnwardand forward by the actuating device, l5, the cord, 33, is partially unW-rapped from the drum, 82, thus turning it and the arbor in the4 hollow boss and consf eoluentlyY moving the pointer around the face of the dial.

lnthe operation et the device, electricity is suppliedte the electrical elementsthereof from any suitable source of supply, and under normal conditions the sign remains dark, the gong silent, and' the gage registers no undertow present. The presence of an u-ndertow causes the actuating devices, 15, tor beswung away from the land side andin the direction of the arrow, 0;, against the action cf the spring, 19; the main cable, .20, is thereby drawn forward and downward, thus closing the switch, 25, causing the incan-descent electricflamps to be illuminated, and causing the electric gong to ring. At the same timeY the downward movement of thecable, 2t?, actuates the gage, 29, and the latter` indicates the pull or' force of theV undertorv present Persons hearing the gong ring orseeingthe si'gn illuminated are there,

predetermined br Warredfagairst Remaining' the Water became @tithe presence of the dangeroiisun dertow, and attendants, by observing the force thereof may also Warn and command the leathers to withdraw from the water until the-volume orvelocity diminishes to a certain point indicated on the dial of the gage. By observingthe gage at stated pe'- riods, a recordmay be kept of the presence, absence and strength or force of undertow;

More or less variation of the exact details of construction are possible without departing from the spirit of this invention, and I desire, therefore, not to limit myseltto said details of construction and arrangement, shown and described,.but intendinthe following claims to point out all of theinvenf' tion disclosed herein. 1.1

l claim as newl and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. An apparatusV of. the, character vdescribed-comprising a Vsubmerged actuating. velement:operated by underto-w, Vand a signaling Vdevice controlledby vsaid actu-ating ,element, Y 2. An apparatus oit the 'character Adescribed comprising a submerged actuating element operated by undertomand asignaling devi ce controlled thereby and having an electric gong for sounding an alarm.

3,', Anl apparatus otl theV character described comprising a submerged signal actuating element and a remotely located signaling means, controlled by said actuatingl element.

LLA .n apparatus of the character de#v scribed comprising a. Vsubmerged actuating elementand signaling means located on the shore, and a mechanical element connecting said actuating element with said signaling means. Y

5. An apparatus of the Vcharacter described comprising a submerged actuating element having a spring for yieldingly hold ing it against undertow movement of Water,

an electric gong andsupport therefor, and an electric switch for; making and breaking the circuit oiisa-id electric gong, and oper-V ated bysaid actuating element.V i

6. An apparatus of the character. described comprising a submerged actuating element, a gage for indicating the force-off undertow, and connecting: means between said' actuating-device andgagejfor opera tively connecting itj therewith.

7'. An apparatus'of the character described comprising a submergedv actuating element having a spring'for yieldingly holding 'it' against undertow movement: ot the gage for operating the latter.A c

8.7An apparatus .ot the character 4:zijdescribed comprising submerged 'actuating element,-

water, a remotely located gage for indicat-'f ing the force oie.Y said undertow, and acable connecting saidactuating device withsaid a remotely located sign, illuminati-.1 ing means therefor, and operat'ive"eonnec -lv tions between said actuating device and said illuminating means, for controlling the latter.

9. An apparatus .of the character described comprising a submerged actuating device, a remotely located post, a warning sign carried thereby, incandescent electric lights for illuminating said sign, an electric gong located in the circuit of said electric lamps, a switch in the said circuit, and a cable connecting said actuating device with said switch for actuating the latter.

10. An apparatus of the character de scribed comprising a submerged oscillatory actuating device, a spring for holding the same against the action of undertow, a remotely located signaling device comprising an electrically operated gong, a switch in the circuit of said gong, a spring for moving said switch to break the circuit, a cable leading from said switch to said actuating device for moving said switch against the action of said spring, and a conduit for said cable leading from the actuating device to said remotely located signaling device.

1l. In a device oit' the character described, an undertow Warning signal, having means actuated by undertow Jfor sounding an alarm.

MARTIN M. VOORHEES. Witnesses:

CHARLES O. SHERVEY, ANNA J. COHON.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

